From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Aug 3: Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who addressed a day-long review meeting of all district deputy commissioners, chief executive officers of zillapanchayats and other senior officials in Bengaluru on Thursday, instructed the officials to release the first instalment of Rs 2000 as part of his government’s inaugural offer of sanctioning an additional Rs 4,000 to farmers in addition to the Rs 6,000 being made available under the PM-Kisan Yojana annually, within the next 15 to 20 days.

Yediyurappa indicated that the official government order on the grant of Rs 4,000 in two instalments of the Rs 2,000 each will be issued within a couple of days.

The sanction of additional grant of Rs 4,000 from the State Government along with the Rs 6,000 per annum paid under the PM-Kisan Yojana will provide a substantial relief to the farmers, he said.

The Chief Minister expressed concern over the failure of monsoon with the State recording a shortfall in rains to the extent of 42% from January to May 31, 2019 besides the fortnight-long delay in the onset of monsoon.

It is unfortunate that the State had to supply drinking water through tankers to people in over 3,067 villages or from private borewells, he said underscoring the severity of drought this year.

The Chief Minister said the government has taken steps to ensure supply of drinking water to people and cattle besides fodder as well as employment under the Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act Yojana to prevent migration of people from rural areas. It was equally necessary to take long-term measures for improving the groundwater table and protection of the water bodies.

Yediyurapa pointed out that the government has already made available a sum of Rs 618.10 crore to the deputy commissioners for undertaking drought relief measures besides releasing another Rs 422 crore under the PD accounts.

He assured the officials that all directions have been issued to ensure that paucity of funds would not come in the way of drought relief and other urgent works.

At the same time, he cautioned the officials to be alert to take necessary precautionary measures in some districts due to floods.

Yediyurappa directed the officials including the Chief Secretary, Secretaries in charge of districts and deputy commissioners to periodically visit and monitor the situation in the districts.

State Chief Secretary T M Vijayabhaskar, Chief Minister’s advisor M Lakshminaryana and Principal Secretary Dr E V Ramana Reddy, Additional Chief Secretary P Ravikumar, Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner Vandita Sharma and other senior officials attended the meeting.